Retractable cartridge type ball point pen



Nov. 8, 1955 J. AVERSA RETRACTABLE CARTRIDGE TYPE BALL POINT PEN Filed May 22. 1953 INVENTOR.

1,; ATTORNEY ,4 m El E 3. am w n N N 3 w .5 w I v M II N @w L \1 Q QW m m ww Q N L 43% L L \N a ww k. w mm 7 N ll 1%: ZQL L L H mm L i w w\ Q\ N E Q m N m gin w N w LQ Y mm This invention relates to hand -tool carriers for effecting the extrusion aiid retraction of "a hand tool such as a w ti :me tum.

:A or ahe object .Q th pre en inve t i is aimed t p o e an mBIQLQd vhands-(x11 arrier adapted a an instance for use with a writing medium of the type in which the writing medium, consisting of a piece of graphite, a ball point support or the like, may be quickly, that is, substantially instantaneously, extruded, and in turn also quickly, that is, substantially instantaneously, retracted, in which the working parts may be confined in a tube or cylindrical container of substantially narrow diameter.

These and other features, capabilities and advantages of the invention will appear from the subjoined detailed description of one specific embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the pencil with the writing medium retracted.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with the writing medium extruded.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a perspective of the actuating plunger.

Fig. 8 is a perspective of the spring control of the plunger.

In the embodiment shown, there is provided a main elongated container 1 contracted or tapered at the end 2, provided with an internal thread 3 at its other end, and preferably having a substantially cylindrical inner face '4 with the tapered end 2 contracted on the inside as shown in Fig. 3. The outer face 5 in the present instance is six sided or hex shaped in cross section.

Adjacent the end 2, in the present instance, the shell or container 1 is provided with the conventional clip 6 secured at 7 to the shell 1 and spaced from the outer face 5 of the shell in its forward extent, that is, the portion extending away from the tapered end 2 with a thickened or enlarged end portion 8 at its front end extending toward the face 5 registering with the enlarged recess 80 at the front end of the slot 9 formed in the shell 1.

Screw threadedly connected to the threaded portion 3, there is provided the conventional tip 10 which in the present instance has an externally threaded portion 11 receiving the thread 3 with its shoulder 12 engaging the front end of the shell 1. From the shoulder 12 for a short distance in a forward direction, the outer face 13 of the tip 10 is substantially cylindrical and then continues forwardly in the tapered outer face 14 terminating in the tapered end 15. The tapered end 15 has a cylin drical opening 16 of substantially narrow diameter terminating at the shoulder 17 from which a central opening 18 in axial alinement with the opening 16 continues to the end of the threaded portion 11, which portion 11, however, extends radially inward to form the shoulder 19.

Although the present invention is adapted for use with United States Patent 2,722,914 I "Mmfd "NP"? 3. 55

.a fha-n'd tool such as ,a medium, .consisting of a piece of graphite, erayon or ethe like, in rthe present instance there is illustrated :a .conventional ball point container- 20 'h'aving' a tprojecting iball -elem'ent 521, which container 20 is 1 secured imthe qtubularzstem :22 :having mounted thereon the spiral spring .23 abutting at one end against thevfiattenedvportion24 andrat its'otherendagainst :the shoulder :19 0f :the ttip 10. Since the stem 22 conforms in outer contour substantially rto the inner jc'ontour :of the ;ope'ning :18, (the spring 23 is positively -confined between the shoulder 19 and :the flattened sabutr'nent portion 24 with the spr'iiig' 23 -normally urging ':the tporltiofnyzo inwardly into the iPDSitiQfIFShOWIl in=Figs. l-and 3.

In gorder to iefizect the expression :or rextrusion of the 1101 1101110 with :the :ball point :21, there is provided the actuating devicfe mow vto sbe--,deseribed consisting mainly .of :the {plunger :25 having ithe gdiminishedtcylindr'ieal portti n 216 which conforms in1outertcontour1to the opening through the tapered end 2 extending no the shoulder .27 at the end of the intermediate cylindrical portion 28, the diameter of which is greater than the diameter of the opening through the tapered end 2 so that the shoulder 27 will serve as a stop to confine the plunger in the shell 1 against being accidentally discharged through the tapered end 2.

Beyond the intermediate cylindrical portion 28, in the present instance, there is provided the enlarged six sided portion 29, hexagonal in cross section, which is provided with an extended arcuate recess 30 extending axially or longitudinally of the same with an opening 31 extending transversely through the portion 29 from the arcuate recess 30 through to the outer face of the portion 29. The forward end of the portion 29 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is adapted to, and engages, the rear end of the stem 22. When the plunger 25 is in the container 1, it is provided with a flat spring 32 resting in the arcuate recess 30 with the pin 33 thereof extending through the opening 31. The pin 33 is fixed to the spring 32 and has a diminished end 34, the diameter of which just clears the slot 9 to permit it to slide along the slot as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 while the diameter of the body 35 is greater than the width of the slot 9 but just clears the opening so that when the plunger 25 is moved from the position shown in Fig. 1 into the position shown in Fig. 2, the body 35 of the pin 33 will project through the opening 8 and anchor the plunger 25 and stem 22 in the extended or extruded position of the ball point 21 as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. This movement of the plunger from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 into that shown in Figs. 2 and 4 is brought about by depressing the portion 26 from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 into the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4. In turn, when it is thereupon desired to retract the ball point support 20 into the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4, it is only necessary to depress the clip 6 in turn to depress the pin 33 when the spring 23 will return the stem 22 and plunger 25 into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination of a main tubular shell having a contracted opening at its free or rear end, a tip shell connected to the front end of said main shell and having an opening at its free or front end, a hand tool slidably mounted in the tip shell, a plunger slidably mounted into said main shell from its front end and having a projection extending from the contracted opening in said main shell in operative position, shoulders on said hand tool and on said tip shell, a spiral spring confined between said shoulders and normally urging said hand tool inwardly, there being a narrow slot extending longitudinally of said main shell and having an enlarged opening at its front end, there being an arcuate recess in said plunger and an opening extending transversely through said plunger from said recess, an arcuate fiat spring conforming to and disposed in said recess tensed between said main shell and the inner face of said recess, a pin mounted on and secured to said fiat spring and extending through said transversely extending opening and having a narrow outer end extending through said slot, said pin having a main body portion which will clear said enlarged opening but not clear said slot, said fiat spring normally urging said pin transversely outward, said projection when actuated longitudinally forward advancing the main body of said pin into registry with said enlarged opening enabling said flat spring to actuate said main body into said enlarged opening and said narrow outer end to project beyond the outer face of said main shell and anchoring said hand tool in operative position against the tension of said spiral spring, the depression of said pin thereupon in turn liberating said main body from said enlarged opening and enabling said spiral spring to return said plunger and hand tool rearwardly.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said hand tool consists of a holder having a ball point disposed at its front end and a reservoir in communication therewith.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which a yieldable clip extends along the outer face of said main shell across the path of movement of said pin to enable depressing said pin by deflection of said clip when said pin is disposed in said enlarged opening to initiate the return of the hand tool and plunger to the rear position by said spiral spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

